SOUTH POLAR SKUA Stercorarius Maccormicki Stercorarius

SOUTH POLAR SKUA Stercorarius maccormicki Stercorarius

Document made by the French Southern and Antarctic Lands © TAAF G displays are limited. They have a powerful flight flight with fast wing-beats. powerful a have They limited. are displays year,courtship after but year used territory the renewedon is bond the pairs, breeding established In injuries. in serious resulting sometimes occur, may fighting Physicalattacks and calls.harsh giving while patches outer-wing whitish exposing wide, perform threat displays with their wings spread out pair They fidelity. site monogamous, strong show usually and are life, for They season. the breeding during territorial very are Skuas Polar South flight, grabbing them by the wings, tail or abdomen. in prey their steal to shags and petrels attack and species. own their plunge surface they of season, breeding birds the Outside weak known or are sick kill and to carcasses, around gather100 birds. They about of flocks in colonies their from away kilometers several forage Skuas Polar South BEHAVIOR : South Polar Skuas primarily feed at sea on fish and krill. In winter, they probably add carrion to their diet. DIET : near sometimes the Antartica, penguin andpetrel colonies. During in offshore. areas waters snow-free relatively cold on and settle warmSkuas Polar in South found season, is breeding and pelagic is species the winter the During HABITAT : that undergoes atransequatorial migration, wintering as far northasAlaska andGreenland. The species breeds throughout the Antarctic continent and Peninsula. It is one of the only Antarctic species GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: l ob a l a

e n t Order :Charadriiformes —Family :Stercorariidae Stercorarius maccormicki Stercorarius SOUTH POLARSKUA fledge after 36-45 days. Usually, only onechick survives. only Usually, days. 36-45 after fledge and hatching after hours 48 to 24 nest the leave chicks Nidifugous days. 31 to 28 takes incubation and eggs two layFemales moss. or soil in ground, the on scrapes bare are Nests depressions. snow- free and ice- sheltered in mosses and with lichens covered often is over ground view The territory. good the a allow outcrops Rocky coast. the along grounds open bare, on colonies loose and November form Skuas Polar in South February. until continues starts season breeding The REPRODUCTION :

TAAF r eg io n

m e n t this speciesat present. to threat genuine a pose to thought are factors no juveniles, conditions and adults affecting weather breeding harsh mixed and success a wide despite a and has range, It 2018). August "Least Species, Threatened of as List Red categorized (IUCN concern" is species The • Weight :0.9-1.6kg • Wingspan:130-140cm • Size :50-55cm THREATS :